Spring Ridge Online - Newsletter



Past Issues November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 February 2003		Spring Ridge Review Newsletter December 2004 Board of Director’s Corner Meeting: December 14th, 2004 - 7pm Visitor Center The Board thanks all those who volunteered their time this past year in the community. Your service is greatly appreciated. Without your efforts, Spring Ridge would not be the great community it is. Best Wishes for a Happy and Safe Holiday Season. Calendar of Events Dec. 2 ~ 7:30pm - Recreation Committee Meeting at VC Dec. 7 ~ 7pm - Spring Ridge Condo BOD Meeting at VC Dec. 8 ~ 7pm - ACC Meeting at VC Dec. 12 ~ 2pm to 4pm - Children’s Christmas Party at VC Dec. 14 ~ 7pm - Conservancy BOD Meeting at VC Dec. 24 ~ Christmas Eve - Visitor Center Closed Dec. 25 ~ Christmas Day Dec. 31 ~ New Year’s Eve - Visitor Center Closed Book Mobile Information The Frederick County Library Book Mobile will be at the Visitor Center parking lot on Monday, December 6th and Monday, December 20th, 2004 from 3pm - 7pm. Come and select a great book to read. If you need additional information about the Book Mobile or other library services, call your local branch or the Extension Services at 301-694-1615. Salvation Army Food Drive Once again Spring Ridge is working with the Salvation Army this holiday season to provide non-perishable food for the hungry and needy in our area. The Salvation Army barrel will be located in the Visitor Center lobby. Drop off your non-perishable food between 11am and 5pm Monday through Friday. Please help out those less fortunate this holiday season. Van Pool - Frederick to Washington, D.C. Van Pool from Frederick to Washington, D.C. (OPM, GWU, GSA, DOA, RRB, DOJ, DOE, & Chinatown). To Washington: Pick up at 5:15 am at the 7th Street Shopping Center, 5:35 am at the Urbana Park and Ride. To Frederick: 1st pm pick up in Washington at 4:35 pm, arrive at Urbana Park and Ride at 5:45 pm, and 7th Street Shopping Center at 6 pm. Metrochecks accepted. If interested, contact Carol Burrill at 443-538-0277. Earn Extra Income, Without Any Commute! PMP, Inc. is seeking a secretary to take Minutes for the various Board of Directors meetings. This a “pay for service” position. If you have good listening and dictating skills and are interested in earning some extra income, please contact Richard Gemmell at 301-620-0782. Thank you. Board Approved 2005 Budget Enclosed The Spring Ridge Conservancy Board Approved 2005 Budget can be found on the last page of this newsletter. Happy Holidays! The Visitor Center will be closed Friday, December 24th for the Christmas Holiday and Friday, December 31st for the New’s Year’s Holiday. PMP, Inc. and the Conservancy Board of Director’s wish you Safe and Joyous Holiday Season. Seasonal Decorating Residents are reminded that seasonal decorations such as Christmas lights, window decals, porch/patio/balcony decorations and the like are permitted. However, the decorations must be removed within 30 days of such holiday. Gov. Thomas Johnson Middle Ski & Snowboard Club It might be a little early to think snow, but for those of you who love to ski or snowboard now is the time to think about joining the TJMS Ski and Snowboard Club. The club is open to anyone. As a club member (membership is free) you can purchase a night club pass that allows you umlimited skiing any evening at Ski Liberty, Whitetail, or Roundtop from January 2nd until the end of the season. This is the 4th year that TJMS has sponsored this club. Please keep in mind that the night club pass is only available to members of a ski club and it is a great deal! More information and sign up forms are available at TJMS or from Shabri Moore at 301-698-0461. See you on the slopes! Architectural Control Committee Needs You! One of the many vital committee’s within Spring Ridge is the ACC. The committee meets only 1 time per month for about 2 hours average. The committee has the responsibility of reviewing all architectural change applications and to make sure that the applied for change(s) to each home and lot are within the guidelines and common aesthetics of the Spring Ridge community. The committee has a few available immediate openings. The meetings are informal and friendly. The more members on the committee, the shorter the meetings are. This is your chance to give back to your community. Take pride in your volunteer efforts, feel good about giving back to your community. Don’t be passive and let others do all the work. Join now! If you are interested and/or want more detail about joining the ACC, please contact Richard Gemmell at 301-620-0782. Snow Will Soon Be Here Single Family Homes: All streets are maintained and plowed by Frederick County, including Spring Ridge Parkway, and Ridgefield Drive. All sidewalks in the single family neighborhoods are to be shoveled by the homeowner. Town Homes and Condos: Here are some of the snow removal guidelines for the 2003-2004 season. In a snow/sleet storm, if accumulation is under 2", the contractor is to apply chemicals to the common sidewalks and roads. If total snow/sleet accumulation is 2-4", the contractor is to begin plowing only after 2" has actually accumulated on the roadways. Chemical application will begin with the parking areas and private roads, followed by common sidewalks. In a big snowstorm, the contractor will plow to open up the private roads. However, most of the detailed snow removal work will not take place until after the snow has finished falling. The asphalt walking path will be shoveled from Knollwood Drive to the school. However at the corner of Ridgefield Drive, only one side of the street will be shoveled to the school. The side that seems better to shovel is the Visitor Center side since the school itself doesn’t shovel their own path on Ridgefield Drive. There are safe cross-overs in front of the school. (Management will remain flexible on these issues as the needs change in the community.) Town Homes: One or two parking spots in the overflow lots should be used for snow piles. CONTRACTORS ARE NOT TO CLEAR OUT INDIVIDUAL PARKING SPOTS FOR RESIDENTS WHO MOVE THEIR VEHICLES FOR SUCH SERVICE. If multiple spots are empty at the time the plows are there, the Contractor may clear them. Please don’t shovel snow from around your vehicle and throw it back into the street. The snow should be placed in your yard, out of the way, not in the street and not on the sidewalks. If snow accumulation is over 4", the same treatment will be applied as described above, and careful attention will be kept to the location of snow piles. Areas to be specifically avoided are mailboxes, fire hydrants, and bus stops. Once accumulation reaches 4" or more, walking paths are to be cleared (one snow blower path) near the end of the storm. As always, residents should use caution at all times. The contractor can’t be everywhere for every weather event. Please remember to NEVER use rock salt on any sidewalk or concrete surface. Rock salt severely damages concrete. Please do not use it. Holiday Safety When decorating your home or office for the holiday season: 1. Keep decorations away from lights, candles, and other sources that may ignite the decorations. 2. Inspect electrical cords and lights for possible damage and replace if needed. 3. Do Not overload outlets or extension cords. 4. Use caution when lighting candles and cooking. 5. Be sure to keep Christmas trees watered and check on a regular basis. 6. Do Not block any exits or other safety devices with decorations. 7. Check to make sure you have a working smoke detector - in your home, and if you have a fire extinguisher assure that it is accessible and in good order. Fire Safety Tips With winter months upon us along with an increased use of candles, fireplaces, and heaters, remember these tips. Check smoke detectors regularly and have fire extinguishers that work for a variety of fires available. 1. Have your homes wiring checked to make sure it meets current building codes. 2. Check all appliances and extension cords for frayed or exposed wires. Do Not overload sockets! 3. Clean and service heating systems and furnaces annually. Neglect can lead to poor ventilation or deteriorating wires. 4. Space heaters should never be used as a primary source of heat. Do Not leave them in doorways or stairways. Keep away from combustible items. Do Not add fuel to heater that is still on or hot. 5. UNPLUG heat-producing appliances that are not in use, such as toasters, kettles, space heaters, etc. 6. Consider installing an approved spark arrester on your chimney, this will prevent sparks from escaping and starting a fire on your roof or on a neighbor’s property Classifieds For Sale: Coat. Mink, brown striped, reversible to brown leather, long, size 12 to 14. Asking for $750.00. If interested call Pat at 301-668-0435. Coat. Wool blend, large collar, comes with belt, light beige, and never worn. Asking for $50.00. If interested call Pat at 301-668-0435. Weight Set. Complete weight set, 300 lbs. (45 lb. bar) and 80 lb. spinlock curl and dumbell set. Many other accessories included. $300.00 OBO. For more information, call Ben at 301-620-0932. !POD. !POD portable music and data device, 15 gigabyte, new & never used, for use with PC’s or Mac’s, includes software, cables, earphones, AC adapter, instructions, all in original box. $250.00. Call 301-624-5502 if interested. Upcoming Events at the Spring Ridge Community Schools presented by the PTAs and PTSAs for Spring Ridge Elem., Oakdale Elem., Gov. Thomas Johnson Middle and Gov. Thomas Johnson High Schools. Dec. 2 ~ 7pm - Winter Concert - OES Dec. 6 ~ 7pm - Winter Band/Chorus Concert & PTSA General Membership Meeting - TJMS Dec. 14 ~ 7pm - Safe and Sane Meeting - TJHS Dec. 24 thru Jan. 2 ~ SCHOOLS CLOSED Happy Holidays! For more information, please contact the respective schools. Times and dates are subject to change. Raising Monthly Assessment Dues Could Be Your Choice by Richard A. Gemmell, Community Manager Let me explain: As Spring Ridge ages as a property, so do the children. The innocence of the little ones sometimes can grow into the not so innocent teens running around the property. Spring Ridge has had a few isolated incidents, in the past, of vandalism, property defacement and the like. However, this past Spring and Summer has seen more frequent problems with the unsupervised teens damaging wooden fences, spray painting the asphalt surface of the basketball courts, destruction of the basketball rims and nets, and the egging of peoples homes, just to name a few things. The alternative methods to deal with these kinds of problems are obviously somewhat complex. Often it has suggested that we hire full time police officers or security guard to patrol the entire property. Yes, this is a possible solution but certainly not one that doesn’t come at a high price to the entire membership of Spring Ridge. The only way to pay for security is by raising homeowners dues to offset the expense. Another method to deal with the problems would be for homeowners to get more involved in their community. Neighborhood Watch is a program that can get the desired results without spending any money at all or comparatively less than security. Getting involved with Neighborhood Watch can mean something as simple as keeping your eyes and ears open in immediate neighborhood. If the teens who seem to be running loose are aware that they are being watched then I think they will be less likely to act out. It’s just common sense. Remember when we were teens? It’s not that the kids are bad, they are just normal kids. I have spoken with many of the teens one on one and they are really good kids. They just need to channel their energy into positive, healthy, creative directions rather than random, spontaneous acts of frustration and disrespect. Imagine a community the size of Spring Ridge with an active Neighborhood Watch Program. Not only would Spring Ridge be a model community for its beauty and rising property values but it would be known for its active involvement in keeping the community safe, comfortable and free of menacing acts of vandalism. You may be asked to make this choice someday soon. Why not start now and get involved in Neighborhood Watch. For more information, email Lise O’Connell at oconnell@xecu.net. Important Telephone Numbers Emergency (Fire, Ambulance, Police): 911 Maryland Poison Center: 1-800-492-2414 Police/Fire Dept. (Non-Emergency) Telephone Numbers: Frederick County Sheriff’s Office: 301-694-1046 Maryland State Police: 301-663-3101 Frederick City Police: 301-694-2100 TDD: 301-663-3000 New Market Fire Department: 301-865-5700 United Fire Department: 301-698-8151 Verizon: 1-301-954-6611 Frederick County Animal Control: 301-694-1546 Frederick County Streets (Snow Removal): 301-694-1564 Frederick County Water & Sewer: 301-694-1825 Frederick County Highway Department: 301-696-2930 Frederick Gas Company: 301-662-2151 Frederick Memorial Hospital: 301-698-3300 Pool Committee News The Pool Committee will be taking a winter break. We will be meeting again in February 2005. Please continue to check the newsletter and marquee for any information. The Spring Ridge website is another good site for any community information. Take a moment and take a look. Go to www.springridgeonline, then choose the Committees link, and then choose the Pool Committee link. Here you can check for the Pool Rules, and the approved swim aids for our little ones. If you have any ideas, comments, or happy thoughts, you can email the pool committee through the website link or simply email us at SpringRidgePool@adelphia.net. We are still looking for a water aerobics instructor, if you know of any contacts please email the Pool Committee or contact PMP in the Visitor Center. We are also looking for your comments on 11 year old children being able to enter the Pool Facility alone. We, along with Century Pools and PMP have had many residents express their concerns and opinions about 11 year old children being able to enter the pool area alone. We are talking about the “possibility” of updating or changing the age that children must be to enter the pool area alone. The proposed age is 14 years old. This is still just in the discussion phase, no final decision has been made. We are still in the planning stage. All children allowed to enter alone currently will be grand-fathered in. We will not take away their privileges. Anyone concerned or interested, please come to the March 2005 Pool Committee Meeting. You may email your comments to the Pool Committee. Please note that only courteous and respectful comments will be received. Until Summer, Happy Holidays from the Pool Committee. Recreation Committee News A special thanks to Diane Stefanick and Kathy Hershorn for organizing the wonderful Children’s Halloween Party. The Adult Halloween Party organizers would like to send a special thanks to those who helped decorate, donated decorations, and gave their time in other ways to make the party a success. The Children’s Christmas Party is December 12 from 2-4 pm at the Visitor’s Center. Santa will be there and families can purchase Polaroid pictures with Santa for $1. The children will be making picture frames, Snowman ornaments, getting Christmas tattoos, and enjoying refreshments. Please bring donations that will be delivered to the Hartley House: New Twin Pillows, New Twin Fabric Mattress Pads, Diapers and Pull-ups, Feminine Hygiene Pads, C and AAA Batteries, Paper Products (Tissues Napkins, Toilet Paper, Paper Towels), Calling Cards, Cleaning Supplies, Lysol Wipes, Gift Cards (Walmart, Kmart, Target, grocery stores, hair salons, movie theaters, etc.), Used Cell Phones, Tall Kitchen Trash Bags, Heavy Duty Lawn Bags, Liquid Laundry Detergent, Dryer Sheets, Dishwashing Liquid, Scrubbing Bubbles, etc. Congratulations to Kimberly Shull!! She will be taking over as chairman of the Recreation Committee. Contact her at Kimberlyshull@yahoo.com if you would like to be a board member or to chair one of the annual events for 2005. Please join us for our final 2004 meeting on December 2 at 7:30 pm in the Visitor’s Center. SPRING RIDGE SKI CLUB IS HERE The “Award Winning Night Club Card” is a terrific way to be on the slopes at great savings. For one low price you can ski or board every night by just showing your card. This Card is only available through group memberships, although each member uses their card individually. You may add the Advantage Card for only $20. This allows you to enjoy the resorts ASAP. With a 40% discount on lift tickets, you may add the advantage rental for a bit more The NCC is good for 3 resorts; Liberty Mountain Resort, Ski Roundtop & Whitetail. Contact: Email Bonnie your Ski Club advisor at SpringRidgeSkiClub@adelphia.net or Go to the Visitors Center for forms, or Check out the Web Site at www.springridgeonline.com , click on committees & clubs, then click on Ski Club.
	Committees/Clubs \| Direct Debit \| PMP, Inc. \| Builders \| Developer \| Hampton Court Condominium Spring Ridge Condominium \| Newsletter \| Conservancy Board \| Frederick County copyright 1999 - 2000. Spring Ridge Conservancy.